African American Women with Incarcerated Mates: The Psychological and Social Impacts of Mass Imprisonment

by Avon Hart-Johnson

Overview

After four decades of mass incarceration in the U.S., the disproportionate number of black men in prisons has contributed to an epidemic of black women struggling to support fragile families. Yet the literature is scant on how African American women are affected by the imprisonment of their partners. Drawing on case studies and firsthand accounts, the author brings needed perspective to the political, economic and psychological challenges they face--including the experience of symbolic imprisonment or "serving time on the outside."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476666822
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	11/20/2017
Pages:	211
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Avon Hart-Johnson is a dedicated researcher, scholar, and advocate at the forefront of social justice initiatives. Her books and journal publications focus on the intersection of mass incarceration and its profound effects on children, families, and communities. She also leads national and international coalitions, driving discussions on social change, human rights, and reparative justice. She is a contributing faculty member at Walden University.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Part I: African American Women in the Age of Mass Incarceration
 1. “The Fixer”: Bring My Daddy Back!
 2. There Goes the Neighborhood
 3. The Cost of Remaining Connected
 4. Relationships, Children and Loss
Part II: The Theory of ­SIG-C
 5. SIG-C and Codependency
 6. “Down to ride”
 7. Charismatic and Controlling Mate—A ­Jekyll-and-Hyde Situation
Part III: Grief, Coping and Ritual
 8. Grief: “It’s like death”
 9. Coping: God, Sex and Rituals
Part IV: Cultural Sensitivity and Intervention Challenges
10. Cultural Awareness
11. Intervention
12. Poverty, Health and Social Consequences
Conclusion
Appendix A. AARM Example
Appendix B: Research Study Methodological Framework
Appendix C: Resources
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

“Hart-Johnson’s research and resulting theory sheds light on the suffering of the African American woman with an incarcerated partner. Practitioners who encounter clients who have incarcerated loved ones would be well-served to pick up this informative and eye-opening volume.”—New York Journal of Books; “strongly recommended...a significant tool for counselors and practitioners.... Correction officers and other staff in jails and prisons will gain a clearer understanding of the structure and dynamics of the incarcerated population.... Legislators and advocates who have a real interest in criminal justice reform will benefit from the information regarding black family structure and the long-term of mass incarceration”—Corrections Today.

From the Publisher